Cork Holding Device

ABSTRACT

A device including a bottle loop section, wherein said bottle loop section is configured to couple a bottle neck, in which said bottle loop section comprises a bottle loop arm, wherein a diameter of said bottle loop arm is configured to commensurate a diameter of the bottle neck. The device further includes a cork loop section, wherein said cork loop section is configured to hold a cork, in which said cork loop section comprises a cork loop arm, wherein a diameter of said cork loop arm is configured to commensurate a diameter of the cork. The bottle loop section and cork loop section are into engagement to form a single unit cork holder and bottle coupler to allow for an elegant display of the cork and proper inspection the cork&#39;s condition during wine consumption while coupled to the wine bottle.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER LISTING APPENDIX

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection by the author thereof. Thecopyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyoneof the patent document or patent disclosure for the purposes ofreferencing as patent prior art, as it appears in the Patent andTrademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE RELEVANT PRIOR ART

One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to a corkholder device. More particularly, certain embodiments of the inventionrelate to a cork holder for storage and display of a cork.

The following background information may present examples of specificaspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts,or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educatethe reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to beconstrued as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof,to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.

There may be many subtle factors to consider when judging the quality ofwine. From the type of grape used to create the wine to the type ofglass used to drink it, professional and amateur wine tasting may beinfluenced by a number of different criteria, and the slightestdifferences may make large impacts on a wine-tasting experience. Thecork of a wine bottle may be able to reveal several critical qualitiesof the wine itself, even before consumption. For example, withoutlimitation, cracks, damage, mold, discoloration, etc. may be signs of alower quality wine. Additionally, the smell of the cork may be used todetect the presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), a chemical that maybe a sign of tainted wine. As such, proper inspection of the cork of awine bottle may be a critical step in judging the quality of a wine.Additionally, wine corks are often kept as mementos or used to resealwine bottles for storage of wine. It may be desirable to provideconvenient storage of a cork to prevent the cork from being lost, placedon contaminated surfaces, or staining a tablecloth.

The following is an example of a specific aspect in the prior art that,while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as toadditional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limitingthe present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated orimplied therein or inferred thereupon. By way of educational background,another aspect of the prior art generally useful to be aware of is thatcork dishes may be used to hold a cork on a table while consuming wine.Cork dishes may provide a means to keep a cork in a safe location andfree from contamination. However, conventional cork dishes may take uplimited space available on a table and may not provide an aestheticmeans for displaying a cork. Further, if a cork is to be inspected, thecork must be handled directly by the inspector. Alternative cork displaymeans may also result in damaging the cork itself. For example, withoutlimitation, a conventional cork display means may utilize a pin to beinserted into a cork, which may not be desirable especially if the corkwill be kept as a memento or used to reseal the wine bottle.

In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniquesare not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by wayof limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in whichlike reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate an exemplary cork holder, wherein FIG. 1A shows aperspective view of a cork holder, FIG. 1B shows a side view of a corkholder, and FIG. 1C shows a top view of a cork holder, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A-2B illustrate an exemplary ring cork holder, wherein FIG. 2Ashows a top view of a ring cork holder, and FIG. 2B shows a ring corkholder in use, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate an exemplary two-piece cork holder, wherein FIG.3A shows a top view of a two-piece cork holder, and FIG. 3B shows a sideview of a two-piece cork holder, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary first spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary second spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary soft spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary over-molded cork holder, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary first silicone cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary second silicone cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary first molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary second molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary extrusion molding cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary third molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate an exemplary spider cork holder, wherein FIG.14A illustrates a perspective view of a spider cork holder, FIG. 14Billustrates a side view of a spider cork holder, and FIG. 14Cillustrates a top view of a spider cork holder, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are notnecessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is best understood by reference to the detailedfigures and description set forth herein.

Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to theFigures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate thatthe detailed description given herein with respect to these figures isfor explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limitedembodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled inthe art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention,recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, dependingupon the needs of the particular application, to implement thefunctionality of any given detail described herein, beyond theparticular implementation choices in the following embodiments describedand shown. That is, there are modifications and variations of theinvention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within thescope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as pluraland vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, whereappropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply thatthe two are mutually exclusive.

It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limitedto the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturingtechniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary.It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be notedthat as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is areference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof knownto those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a referenceto “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or meansand may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions usedare to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, theword “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical“or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the contextclearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to beunderstood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures.Language that may be construed to express approximation should be sounderstood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

All words of approximation as used in the present disclosure and claimsshould be construed to mean “approximate,” rather than “perfect,” andmay accordingly be employed as a meaningful modifier to any other word,specified parameter, quantity, quality, or concept. Words ofapproximation, include, yet are not limited to terms such as“substantial”, “nearly”, “almost”, “about”, “generally”, “largely”,“essentially”, “closely approximate”, etc.

As will be established in some detail below, it is well settled law, asearly as 1939, that words of approximation are not indefinite in theclaims even when such limits are not defined or specified in thespecification.

For example, see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App.1941) where the court said “The examiner has held that most of theclaims are inaccurate because apparently the laminar film will not beentirely eliminated. The claims specify that the film is “substantially”eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believed that the slightportion of the film which may remain is negligible. We are of the view,therefore, that the claims may be regarded as sufficiently accurate.”

Note that claims need only “reasonably apprise those skilled in the art”as to their scope to satisfy the definiteness requirement. See EnergyAbsorption Sys., Inc. v. Roadway Safety Servs., Inc., Civ. App. 96-1264,slip op. at 10 (Fed. Cir. Jul. 3, 1997) (unpublished) Hybridtech v.Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., 802 F.2d 1367, 1385, 231 USPQ 81, 94 (Fed.Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 480 U.S. 947 (1987). In addition, the use ofmodifiers in the claim, like “generally” and “substantial,” does not byitself render the claims indefinite. See Seattle Box Co. v. IndustrialCrating & Packing, Inc., 731 F.2d 818, 828-29, 221 USPQ 568, 575-76(Fed. Cir. 1984).

Moreover, the ordinary and customary meaning of terms like“substantially” includes “reasonably close to: nearly, almost, about”,connoting a term of approximation. See In re Frye, Appeal No.2009-006013, 94 USPQ2d 1072, 1077, 2010 WL 889747 (B.P.A.I. 2010)Depending on its usage, the word “substantially” can denote eitherlanguage of approximation or language of magnitude. Deering PrecisionInstruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distribution Sys., Inc., 347 F.3d 1314,1323 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (recognizing the “dual ordinary meaning of th[e]term [“substantially”] as connoting a term of approximation or a term ofmagnitude”). Here, when referring to the “substantially halfway”limitation, the Specification uses the word “approximately” as asubstitute for the word “substantially” (Fact 4). (Fact 4). The ordinarymeaning of “substantially halfway” is thus reasonably close to or nearlyat the midpoint between the forwardmost point of the upper or outsoleand the rearwardmost point of the upper or outsole.

Similarly, the term ‘substantially’ is well recognized in case law tohave the dual ordinary meaning of connoting a term of approximation or aterm of magnitude. See Dana Corp. v. American Axle & Manufacturing,Inc., Civ. App. 04-1116, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 18265, *13-14 (Fed. Cir.Aug. 27, 2004) (unpublished). The term “substantially” is commonly usedby claim drafters to indicate approximation. See Cordis Corp. v.Medtronic AVE Inc., 339 F.3d 1352, 1360 (Fed. Cir. 2003) (“The patentsdo not set out any numerical standard by which to determine whether thethickness of the wall surface is ‘substantially uniform.’ The term‘substantially,’ as used in this context, denotes approximation. Thus,the walls must be of largely or approximately uniform thickness.”); seealso Deering Precision Instruments, LLC v. Vector Distribution Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2003); Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v.Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022, 1031 (Fed. Cir. 2002). We findthat the term “substantially” was used in just such a manner in theclaims of the patents-in-suit: “substantially uniform wall thickness”denotes a wall thickness with approximate uniformity.

It should also be noted that such words of approximation as contemplatedin the foregoing clearly limits the scope of claims such as saying‘generally parallel’ such that the adverb ‘generally’ does not broadenthe meaning of parallel. Accordingly, it is well settled that such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing (e.g., like the phrase‘generally parallel’) envisions some amount of deviation from perfection(e.g., not exactly parallel), and that such words of approximation ascontemplated in the foregoing are descriptive terms commonly used inpatent claims to avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specifiedparameter. To the extent that the plain language of the claims relyingon such words of approximation as contemplated in the foregoing areclear and uncontradicted by anything in the written description hereinor the figures thereof, it is improper to rely upon the present writtendescription, the figures, or the prosecution history to add limitationsto any of the claim of the present invention with respect to such wordsof approximation as contemplated in the foregoing. That is, under suchcircumstances, relying on the written description and prosecutionhistory to reject the ordinary and customary meanings of the wordsthemselves is impermissible. See, for example, Liquid Dynamics Corp. v.Vaughan Co., 355 F.3d 1361, 69 USPQ2d 1595, 1600-01 (Fed. Cir. 2004).The plain language of phrase 2 requires a “substantial helical flow.”The term “substantial” is a meaningful modifier implying “approximate,”rather than “perfect.” In Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic AVE, Inc., 339 F.3d1352, 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2003), the district court imposed a precisenumeric constraint on the term “substantially uniform thickness.” Wenoted that the proper interpretation of this term was “of largely orapproximately uniform thickness” unless something in the prosecutionhistory imposed the “clear and unmistakable disclaimer” needed fornarrowing beyond this simple-language interpretation. Id. In Anchor WallSystems v. Rockwood Retaining Walls, Inc., 340 F.3d 1298, 1311 (Fed.Cir. 2003)” Id. at 1311. Similarly, the plain language of claim 1requires neither a perfectly helical flow nor a flow that returnsprecisely to the center after one rotation (a limitation that arisesonly as a logical consequence of requiring a perfectly helical flow).

The reader should appreciate that case law generally recognizes a dualordinary meaning of such words of approximation, as contemplated in theforegoing, as connoting a term of approximation or a term of magnitude;e.g., see Deering Precision Instruments, L.L.C. v. Vector Distrib. Sys.,Inc., 347 F.3d 1314, 68 USPQ2d 1716, 1721 (Fed. Cir. 2003), cert.denied, 124 S. Ct. 1426 (2004) where the court was asked to construe themeaning of the term “substantially” in a patent claim. Also see Epcon,279 F.3d at 1031 (“The phrase ‘substantially constant’ denotes languageof approximation, while the phrase ‘substantially below’ signifieslanguage of magnitude, i.e., not insubstantial.”). Also, see, e.g.,Epcon Gas Sys., Inc. v. Bauer Compressors, Inc., 279 F.3d 1022 (Fed.Cir. 2002) (construing the terms “substantially constant” and“substantially below”); Zodiac Pool Care, Inc. v. Hoffinger Indus.,Inc., 206 F.3d 1408 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (construing the term “substantiallyinward”); York Prods., Inc. v. Cent. Tractor Farm & Family Ctr., 99 F.3d1568 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially the entireheight thereof”); Tex. Instruments Inc. v. Cypress Semiconductor Corp.,90 F.3d 1558 (Fed. Cir. 1996) (construing the term “substantially in thecommon plane”). In conducting their analysis, the court instructed tobegin with the ordinary meaning of the claim terms to one of ordinaryskill in the art. Prima Tek, 318 F.3d at 1148. Reference to dictionariesand our cases indicates that the term “substantially” has numerousordinary meanings. As the district court stated, “substantially” canmean “significantly” or “considerably.” The term “substantially” canalso mean “largely” or “essentially.” Webster's New 20th CenturyDictionary 1817 (1983).

Words of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, may also beused in phrases establishing approximate ranges or limits, where the endpoints are inclusive and approximate, not perfect; e.g., see AK SteelCorp. v. Sollac, 344 F.3d 1234, 68 USPQ2d 1280, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 2003)where it where the court said [W]e conclude that the ordinary meaning ofthe phrase “up to about 10%” includes the “about 10%” endpoint. Aspointed out by AK Steel, when an object of the preposition “up to” isnonnumeric, the most natural meaning is to exclude the object (e.g.,painting the wall up to the door). On the other hand, as pointed out bySollac, when the object is a numerical limit, the normal meaning is toinclude that upper numerical limit (e.g., counting up to ten, seatingcapacity for up to seven passengers). Because we have here a numericallimit—“about 10%”—the ordinary meaning is that that endpoint isincluded.

In the present specification and claims, a goal of employment of suchwords of approximation, as contemplated in the foregoing, is to avoid astrict numerical boundary to the modified specified parameter, assanctioned by Pall Corp. v. Micron Separations, Inc., 66 F.3d 1211,1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229 (Fed. Cir. 1995) where it states “It is wellestablished that when the term “substantially” serves reasonably todescribe the subject matter so that its scope would be understood bypersons in the field of the invention, and to distinguish the claimedsubject matter from the prior art, it is not indefinite.” Likewise seeVerve LLC v. Crane Cams Inc., 311 F.3d 1116, 65 USPQ2d 1051, 1054 (Fed.Cir. 2002). Expressions such as “substantially” are used in patentdocuments when warranted by the nature of the invention, in order toaccommodate the minor variations that may be appropriate to secure theinvention. Such usage may well satisfy the charge to “particularly pointout and distinctly claim” the invention, 35 U.S.C. § 112, and indeed maybe necessary in order to provide the inventor with the benefit of hisinvention. In Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847 F.2d 819, 821-22,6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) the court explained that usagessuch as “substantially equal” and “closely approximate” may serve todescribe the invention with precision appropriate to the technology andwithout intruding on the prior art. The court again explained in EcolabInc. v. Envirochem, Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 1367, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179(Fed. Cir. 2001) that “like the term ‘about,’ the term ‘substantially’is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to ‘avoid a strictnumerical boundary to the specified parameter, see Ecolab Inc. v.Envirochem Inc., 264 F.3d 1358, 60 USPQ2d 1173, 1179 (Fed. Cir. 2001)where the court found that the use of the term “substantially” to modifythe term “uniform” does not render this phrase so unclear such thatthere is no means by which to ascertain the claim scope.

Similarly, other courts have noted that like the term “about,” the term“substantially” is a descriptive term commonly used in patent claims to“avoid a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter.”; e.g.,see Pall Corp. v. Micron Seps., 66 F.3d 1211, 1217, 36 USPQ2d 1225, 1229(Fed. Cir. 1995); see, e.g., Andrew Corp. v. Gabriel Elecs. Inc., 847F.2d 819, 821-22, 6 USPQ2d 2010, 2013 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (noting thatterms such as “approach each other,” “close to,” “substantially equal,”and “closely approximate” are ubiquitously used in patent claims andthat such usages, when serving reasonably to describe the claimedsubject matter to those of skill in the field of the invention, and todistinguish the claimed subject matter from the prior art, have beenaccepted in patent examination and upheld by the courts). In this case,“substantially” avoids the strict 100% nonuniformity boundary.

Indeed, the foregoing sanctioning of such words of approximation, ascontemplated in the foregoing, has been established as early as 1939,see Ex parte Mallory, 52 USPQ 297, 297 (Pat. Off. Bd. App. 1941) where,for example, the court said “the claims specify that the film is“substantially” eliminated and for the intended purpose, it is believedthat the slight portion of the film which may remain is negligible. Weare of the view, therefore, that the claims may be regarded assufficiently accurate.” Similarly, In re Hutchison, 104 F.2d 829, 42USPQ 90, 93 (C.C.P.A. 1939) the court said, “It is realized that“substantial distance” is a relative and somewhat indefinite term, orphrase, but terms and phrases of this character are not uncommon inpatents in cases where, according to the art involved, the meaning canbe determined with reasonable clearness.”

Hence, for at least the forgoing reason, Applicants submit that it isimproper for any examiner to hold as indefinite any claims of thepresent patent that employ any words of approximation.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skillin the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods,techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods,techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to thosedescribed herein may be used in the practice or testing of the presentinvention. Structures described herein are to be understood also torefer to functional equivalents of such structures. The presentinvention will be described in detail below with reference toembodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

References to a “device,” an “apparatus,” a “system,” etc., in thepreamble of a claim should be construed broadly to mean “any structuremeeting the claim terms” exempt for any specific structure(s)/type(s)that has/(have) been explicitly disavowed or excluded oradmitted/implied as prior art in the present specification or incapableof enabling an object/aspect/goal of the invention. Furthermore, wherethe present specification discloses an object, aspect, function, goal,result, or advantage of the invention that a specific prior artstructure and/or method step is similarly capable of performing yet in avery different way, the present invention disclosure is intended to andshall also implicitly include and cover additional correspondingalternative embodiments that are otherwise identical to that explicitlydisclosed except that they exclude such prior art structure(s)/step(s),and shall accordingly be deemed as providing sufficient disclosure tosupport a corresponding negative limitation in a claim claiming suchalternative embodiment(s), which exclude such very different prior artstructure(s)/step(s) way(s).

From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modificationswill be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations andmodifications may involve equivalent and other features which arealready known in the art, and which may be used instead of or inaddition to features already described herein.

Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particularcombinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of thedisclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature orany novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly orimplicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates tothe same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or notit mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does thepresent invention.

Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments mayalso be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely,various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of asingle embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitablesubcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may beformulated to such features and/or combinations of such features duringthe prosecution of the present Application or of any further Applicationderived therefrom.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,”“various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “embodiments of theinvention,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the inventionso described may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but not every possible embodiment of the inventionnecessarily includes the particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,”or “in an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,” do not necessarilyrefer to the same embodiment, although they may. Moreover, any use ofphrases like “embodiments” in connection with “the invention” are nevermeant to characterize that all embodiments of the invention must includethe particular feature, structure, or characteristic, and should insteadbe understood to mean “at least some embodiments of the invention”include the stated particular feature, structure, or characteristic.

References to “user”, or any similar term, as used herein, may mean ahuman or non-human user thereof. Moreover, “user”, or any similar term,as used herein, unless expressly stipulated otherwise, is contemplatedto mean users at any stage of the usage process, to include, withoutlimitation, direct user(s), intermediate user(s), indirect user(s), andend user(s). The meaning of “user”, or any similar term, as used herein,should not be otherwise inferred, or induced by any pattern(s) ofdescription, embodiments, examples, or referenced prior art that may (ormay not) be provided in the present patent.

References to “end user”, or any similar term, as used herein, isgenerally intended to mean late-stage user(s) as opposed to early-stageuser(s). Hence, it is contemplated that there may be a multiplicity ofdifferent types of “end user” near the end stage of the usage process.Where applicable, especially with respect to distribution channels ofembodiments of the invention comprising consumed retailproducts/services thereof (as opposed to sellers/vendors or OriginalEquipment Manufacturers), examples of an “end user” may include, withoutlimitation, a “consumer”, “buyer”, “customer”, “purchaser”, “shopper”,“enjoyer”, “viewer”, or individual person or non-human thing benefitingin any way, directly or indirectly, from use of. or interaction, withsome aspect of the present invention.

In some situations, some embodiments of the present invention mayprovide beneficial usage to more than one stage or type of usage in theforegoing usage process. In such cases where multiple embodimentstargeting various stages of the usage process are described, referencesto “end user”, or any similar term, as used therein, are generallyintended to not include the user that is the furthest removed, in theforegoing usage process, from the final user therein of an embodiment ofthe present invention.

Where applicable, especially with respect to retail distributionchannels of embodiments of the invention, intermediate user(s) mayinclude, without limitation, any individual person or non-human thingbenefiting in any way, directly or indirectly, from use of, orinteraction with, some aspect of the present invention with respect toselling, vending, Original Equipment Manufacturing, marketing,merchandising, distributing, service providing, and the like thereof.

References to “person”, “individual”, “human”, “a party”, “animal”,“creature”, or any similar term, as used herein, even if the context orparticular embodiment implies living user, maker, or participant, itshould be understood that such characterizations are sole by way ofexample, and not limitation, in that it is contemplated that any suchusage, making, or participation by a living entity in connection withmaking, using, and/or participating, in any way, with embodiments of thepresent invention may be substituted by such similar performed by asuitably configured non-living entity, to include, without limitation,automated machines, robots, humanoids, computational systems,information processing systems, artificially intelligent systems, andthe like. It is further contemplated that those skilled in the art willreadily recognize the practical situations where such living makers,users, and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention maybe in whole, or in part, replaced with such non-living makers, users,and/or participants with embodiments of the present invention. Likewise,when those skilled in the art identify such practical situations wheresuch living makers, users, and/or participants with embodiments of thepresent invention may be in whole, or in part, replaced with suchnon-living makers, it will be readily apparent in light of the teachingsof the present invention how to adapt the described embodiments to besuitable for such non-living makers, users, and/or participants withembodiments of the present invention. Thus, the invention is thus toalso cover all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fallingwithin the spirit and scope of such adaptations and modifications, atleast in part, for such non-living entities.

Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken aslimiting the disclosure in any way.

The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of theitems are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.

It is understood that the use of specific component, device and/orparameter names are for example only and not meant to imply anylimitations on the invention. The invention may thus be implemented withdifferent nomenclature/terminology utilized to describe themechanisms/units/structures/components/devices/parameters herein,without limitation. Each term utilized herein is to be given itsbroadest interpretation given the context in which that term isutilized.

Terminology. The following paragraphs provide definitions and/or contextfor terms found in this disclosure (including the appended claims):

“Comprising” And “contain” and variations of them—Such terms areopen-ended and mean “including but not limited to”. When employed in theappended claims, this term does not foreclose additional structure orsteps. Consider a claim that recites: “A memory controller comprising asystem cache . . . .” Such a claim does not foreclose the memorycontroller from including additional components (e.g., a memory channelunit, a switch).

“Configured To.” Various units, circuits, or other components may bedescribed or claimed as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. In suchcontexts, “configured to” or “operable for” is used to connote structureby indicating that the mechanisms/units/circuits/components includestructure (e.g., circuitry and/or mechanisms) that performs the task ortasks during operation. As such, the mechanisms/unit/circuit/componentcan be said to be configured to (or be operable) for perform(ing) thetask even when the specified mechanisms/unit/circuit/component is notcurrently operational (e.g., is not on). Themechanisms/units/circuits/components used with the “configured to” or“operable for” language include hardware—for example, mechanisms,structures, electronics, circuits, memory storing program instructionsexecutable to implement the operation, etc. Reciting that amechanism/unit/circuit/component is “configured to” or “operable for”perform(ing) one or more tasks is expressly intended not to invoke 35U.S.C . . . sctn. 112, sixth paragraph, for thatmechanism/unit/circuit/component. “Configured to” may also includeadapting a manufacturing process to fabricate devices or components thatare adapted to implement or perform one or more tasks.

“Based On.” As used herein, this term is used to describe one or morefactors that affect a determination. This term does not forecloseadditional factors that may affect a determination. That is, adetermination may be solely based on those factors or based, at least inpart, on those factors. Consider the phrase “determine A based on B.”While B may be a factor that affects the determination of A, such aphrase does not foreclose the determination of A from also being basedon C. In other instances, A may be determined based solely on B.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

All terms of exemplary language (e.g., including, without limitation,“such as”, “like”, “for example”, “for instance”, “similar to”, etc.)are not exclusive of any other, potentially, unrelated, types ofexamples; thus, implicitly mean “by way of example, and not limitation .. . ”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing conditions,concentrations, dimensions, and so forth used in the specification andclaims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by theterm “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, thenumerical parameters set forth in the following specification andattached claims are approximations that may vary depending at least upona specific analytical technique.

The term “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including,”“containing,” or “characterized by” is inclusive or open-ended and doesnot exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. “Comprising”is a term of art used in claim language which means that the named claimelements are essential, but other claim elements may be added and stillform a construct within the scope of the claim.

As used herein, the phase “consisting of” excludes any element, step, oringredient not specified in the claim. When the phrase “consists of” (orvariations thereof) appears in a clause of the body of a claim, ratherthan immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element setforth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim asa whole. As used herein, the phase “consisting essentially of” and“consisting of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified elements ormethod steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basis andnovel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter (see Norian Corp.v Stryker Corp., 363 F.3d 1321, 1331-32, 70 USPQ2d 1508, Fed. Cir.2004). Moreover, for any claim of the present invention which claims anembodiment “consisting essentially of” or “consisting of” a certain setof elements of any herein described embodiment it shall be understood asobvious by those skilled in the art that the present invention alsocovers all possible varying scope variants of any describedembodiment(s) that are each exclusively (i.e., “consisting essentiallyof”) functional subsets or functional combination thereof such that eachof these plurality of exclusive varying scope variants each consistsessentially of any functional subset(s) and/or functional combination(s)of any set of elements of any described embodiment(s) to the exclusionof any others not set forth therein. That is, it is contemplated that itwill be obvious to those skilled how to create a multiplicity ofalternate embodiments of the present invention that simply consistingessentially of a certain functional combination of elements of anydescribed embodiment(s) to the exclusion of any others not set forththerein, and the invention thus covers all such exclusive embodiments asif they were each described herein.

With respect to the terms “comprising,” “consisting of,” and “consistingessentially of,” where one of these three terms is used herein, thedisclosed and claimed subject matter may include the use of either ofthe other two terms. Thus, in some embodiments not otherwise explicitlyrecited, any instance of “comprising” may be replaced by “consisting of”or, alternatively, by “consisting essentially of”, and thus, for thepurposes of claim support and construction for “consisting of” formatclaims, such replacements operate to create yet other alternativeembodiments “consisting essentially of” only the elements recited in theoriginal “comprising” embodiment to the exclusion of all other elements.

Moreover, any claim limitation phrased in functional limitation termscovered by 35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA 112(f)) which has a preambleinvoking the closed terms “consisting of,” or “consisting essentiallyof,” should be understood to mean that the corresponding structure(s)disclosed herein define the exact metes and bounds of what the soclaimed invention embodiment(s) consists of, or consisting essentiallyof, to the exclusion of any other elements which do not materiallyaffect the intended purpose of the so claimed embodiment(s).

Devices or system modules that are in at least general communicationwith each other need not be in continuous communication with each other,unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or systemmodules that are in at least general communication with each other maycommunicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.Moreover, it is understood that any system components described or namedin any embodiment or claimed herein may be grouped or sub-grouped (andaccordingly implicitly renamed) in any combination or sub-combination asthose skilled in the art can imagine as suitable for the particularapplication, and still be within the scope and spirit of the claimedembodiments of the present invention. For an example of what this means,if the invention was a controller of a motor and a valve and theembodiments and claims articulated those components as being separatelygrouped and connected, applying the foregoing would mean that such aninvention and claims would also implicitly cover the valve being groupedinside the motor and the controller being a remote controller with nodirect physical connection to the motor or internalized valve, as suchthe claimed invention is contemplated to cover all ways of groupingand/or adding of intermediate components or systems that stillsubstantially achieve the intended result of the invention.

A description of an embodiment with several components in communicationwith each other does not imply that all such components are required. Onthe contrary a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention.

As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerationsand compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimalmanufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and inparticular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercialimplementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of thepresent invention may configured according to the needs of theparticular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s),result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachingsrelated to any described embodiment of the present invention may besuitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improvedand/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skillsand known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation thataddresses the needs of the particular application.

It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions orparticular construction materials indicated herein are solely providedas examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to belimiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particularapplication, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in lightof the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternativeimplementation details.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate an exemplary cork holder device, wherein FIG. 1Ashows a perspective view of a cork holder, FIG. 1B shows a side view ofa cork holder, and FIG. 1C shows a top view of a cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Cork holder 100may be used to, for example, without limitation, secure a cork to theneck of a wine bottle. The cork may be an important factor indetermining the quality of the wine, and as such it may be desirable todisplay the cork in an easily viewable manner without damaging the corkitself. Cork holder 100 may comprise cork loop or narrow end section 105and bottle loop or wide end section 110, wherein narrow end section 105may firmly hold a cork in place while wide end section 110 may becoupled to the neck of a wine bottle. It may be critical for cork holder100 to firmly grasp both the neck of the wine bottle and the cork insuch a manner as to allow for pouring of the wine without cork holder100 being dislodged from the neck of the wine bottle, or the cork beingdislodged from cork holder 100. To maintain such a firm grasp, corkholder 100 may include first living spring 115 having a pair of corkloop arms 145 on narrow end 105 of cork holder 100 where the pair ofcork loop arms 145 may be shaped to fit a standard cork. Second livingspring 120 may include a pair of bottle loop arms 130 on wide end 110 ofcork holder 100 and shaped to fit a standard bottle neck. Bridge 135 mayconnect the pair of bottle loop arms 130 to form a generally C-shapedwide end 110 and may function as a bottle neck coupler. Bridge 135 maybe shaped as an arc. The approximate C-shape of cork loop arms 145 andthe arc of bridge 135 may comprise a diameter that conforms to the shapeof a portion of a cork. The diameter formed by cork loop arms 145 andthe arc of bridge 135 may be smaller than the diameter formed by bottleloop arms 130. The living springs may provide for the openings of thecork holder. In one embodiment, the arms 130 145 of the living springsmay be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when releasedand may be used chiefly to exert constant tension or absorb movement.The living springs may be made of plastic or other similar materials. Inadditional embodiments, each of the living springs may comprise of twospring arm pairs 130 145 that may work independently from each other andthe two sides including the first and second living spring of the devicemay work independently from each other as well. The pair of cork looparms 145 of first living spring 115 may couple to an outer surface 140A140B of the pair of bottle loop arms 130 of second living spring 120 andmay firmly grasp the cork, and may operate independently from secondliving spring 120, which pair of bottle loop arms 130 may firmly graspthe neck of the wine bottle.

In the present embodiment, the cork may be held firmly in a verticalorientation to provide for an optimal viewing angle. However, as will beappreciated by one skilled in the art, narrow end section 105 may be atan angular offset to wide end section 110 such that a different viewingangle may be achieved. Anti-slip material may optionally be used on theinterior surfaces of the pair of cork loop arms 145 of first livingspring 115 and the pair of bottle loop arms 130 of second living spring120 to provide additional grip and/or protection. For example, withoutlimitation, anti-slip material may include rubber composition, vinylcomposition, etc. Cork holder 100 may be formed of one continuousmaterial and may not incorporate moving parts to allow for additionaldurability and fewer points of failure. In the present embodiment, corkholder 100 may not include magnets, corrodible materials, etc. such thatcork holder 100 may be dishwasher safe and reusable over manyiterations. Further, cork holder 100 may not damage the cork throughmultiple uses. Cork holder 100 may include one or more notificationsurfaces 125 to allow for printing or engraving of, for example, withoutlimitation, images, lettering, advertisements, graphics, etc. foraesthetic or display purposes. The single/one piece cork holder andbottle coupler device using dual living springs to hold any size cork toany size bottle may allow for an elegant display of the cork, and properinspection the cork's condition during wine consumption. Theindependently operating cork holder and bottle coupler design may allowfor inward and/or outward deflections of either the cork loop arms 145and/or the pair of bottle loop arms 130. The device may not containmoving parts, detachable parts, or other affixing hardware required forthe device to work properly.

As there may be a variety of different shapes and sizes for both thecork and the neck of the wine bottle, cork holder 100 may be composed ofa rigid, elastic material to allow first living spring 115 and secondliving spring 120 to be flexible around the variety of different sizesas need. In the present embodiment, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS) plastic may be used to provide an appropriate amount of elasticityand rigidity. Additionally, cork holder 100 may be manufactured usinginjection molding, which may result in a better elasticity than, forexample, without limitation, 3D printing. Cork holder 100 may be of aconstant thickness throughout its design such that, when using injectionmolding, the entirety of cork holder 100 may cool at a constant rate,which may result in a final product with more precise dimensions.Because cork holder 100 may include openings at both narrow end section105 and wide end section 110, maintaining a constant thicknessthroughout the design may allow for accurate injection molding withoutthe use of supporting structure.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, alternative materialsand fabrication techniques may be used to manufacture cork holder 100.For example, without limitation, cork holder 100 may be composed ofplastics, including, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate,High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Polypropylene,Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polystyrene, Polylactic Acid,Polycarbonate, Acrylic, Acetal, Nylon, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS), etc., metals including, but not limited to, aluminum, copper,stainless steel, Titanium, brass, Alloy steel, hot rolled steel, coldrolled steel, tool steel, etc., wood, bamboo, hemp, wood composites,plastic wood, soy, cork, cardboard, flax, etc. Additionally, cork holder100 may not be limited to being composed of a single material and may becomposed of two or more materials. Silicone, EPDM, Butyl, Viton, naturalRubber, Buna, Kalrez, Neoprene, Nitril Rubber, Timprene, SyntheticRubber, Foam and Sponge rubber, Thermoplastic Elastomers, Manniglas,etc. Various dyes and finishes may also be used to create anaesthetically pleasing appearance.

Cork holder 100 may also incorporate several optional features tofurther increase the utility of the overall design. For example, withoutlimitation, a means for opening a bottle of wine may be incorporatedonto cork holder 100 such as, but not limited to, a corkscrew. Thecorkscrew may also be used in place of narrow end 105 as a means forholding the cork. Additionally, a sharp edge may be incorporated ontocork holder 100 to remove the foil capsule of a wine bottle. Athermometer may also be incorporated onto cork holder 100 to track thetemperature of the wine and encourage consumption of the wine at anideal temperature. An incorporated or detachable filter may also beincluded on cork holder 100 to place over the opening of the wine bottleand prevent debris from entering the bottle, or debris from the winefrom being poured into with the wine into a wine glass.

FIG. 2A-2B illustrate an exemplary ring cork holder, wherein FIG. 2Ashows a top view of a ring cork holder, and FIG. 2B shows a ring corkholder in use, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. Ring cork holder 200 may include narrow end 205 for holdingcork 220 and wide end 210 for slipping over the neck of wine bottle 215.Ring cork holder 200 may be composed of, for example, withoutlimitation, insulated or uninsulated metal wiring such that both narrowend 205 and wide end 210 may be adjusted for different sized corks andwine bottles similar if not identical to the list of materials above. Aslip 225 of wine bottle 215 may be of a larger diameter than the neck ofwine bottle 215, wide end 210 may be slipped over lip 225 and adjustedto maintain close contact with the neck of wine bottle 220 whilepreventing ring cork holder 200 from inadvertently slipping over lip225. Although ring cork holder 200 may be less-secure, ring cork holder200 may be inexpensively manufactural in comparison to conventionaldesigns. Alternatively, the two rings may be made like, but not alimitation, a strap that can be slid to adjust the opening. A buckle orfixing device may allow for enlarging or restricting the size of theopenings including but not limited to clasps on the straps of swimminggoggles or the sliding clasp on the drawstring of some pants or hoods.

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate an exemplary two-piece cork holder, wherein FIG.3A shows a top view of a two-piece cork holder, and FIG. 3B shows a sideview of a two-piece cork holder, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. Two-piece cork holder 300 may comprise bottle loop305 and cork loop 310. Bottle loop 305 may use bottle arm 315 to besecured onto, for example, without limitation, the neck of a winebottle, while cork loop 310 may use cork arm 320 to be secured onto, forexample, without limitation, a cork. Bottle loop 305 may be permanentlyadhered, or removably adhered to cork loop 310, or bottle loop 305 andcork loop 310 may be a one-piece design. For example, withoutlimitation, glue, welding, string, wire, screws, rivets, clamping,soldering, brazing, and other mechanical bonding, welding, and adhesivebonding, etc. may be used to permanently adhere bottle loop 305 to corkloop 310. Similarly, magnets, hook-and-loop fasteners, clips, pins,snaps, buttons, etc. may be used to removably adhere bottle loop 305 tocork loop 310. Cork loop 310 may be secured in a fixed position tobottle loop 305 such that the cork may be displayed in a fixed position.Additionally, cork loop 310 may be adjustably secured such that the corkmay be displayed in a number of different positions. Two-piece corkholder 300 may also be modular in design and allow for differentcombinations of various designs of loops.

The single- or one-piece device using cork holder to hold any size corkand bottle coupler to engage any size bottle may allow for an elegantdisplay of the cork, and proper inspection the cork's condition duringwine consumption. The independently operating cork holder and bottlecoupler design may allow for inward and/or outward deflections of eitherthe cork arm 315 and/or bottle arm 320. The device may not containmoving parts, detachable parts, or other affixing hardware required forthe device to work properly.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary first spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Firstspring-clip cork holder 400 may allow for an easily securable fit to awine bottle. Spring-clip cork holder 400 may comprise bottle loop 405and cork loop 410. Bottle loop 405 may include bottle clip 415 pivotingaround central spring 425. Bottle clip 415 may be secured to, forexample, without limitation, the neck of a wine bottle for uprightdisplay of a cork while consuming wine. Opposite to bottle loop 405,cork loop 410 may include band 420 for the holding of a cork. Band 420may be composed of an elastic material in the present embodiment, suchthat the cork may be securely held by cork loop 410 without risk ofslipping out. Spring-clip cork holder 400 may further comprise a plasticclip that opens and closes using central spring 425 like a hinge in themiddle similar to a hair clip. However, as will be appreciated by oneskilled in the art other materials may also be used for band 420 suchas, without limitation, plastics, metals, wood, etc.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary second spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Secondspring-clip cork holder 500 may include bottle loop 505 and cork loop510. Bottle loop 505 may be secured firmly to for example, withoutlimitation, the neck of a wine bottle, while cork loop 510 may firmlygrasp, for example, without limitation, a cork. Second spring-clip corkholder 500 may be a two-piece design comprising left half 515 and righthalf 520 pivotal about central spring 530. Each of bottle loop 505 andcork loop 510 may include one or more arms 525 to provide a secure gripof the neck of the wine bottle and the cork, respectively. In thepresent embodiment, two arms 525 may be used. However, as will beappreciated by one skilled in the art, fewer or additional arms may beused for each loop, and each loop may utilize a different number ofarms. Cork loop 510 may require additional flexibility to allowaccommodate for various cork sizes. As such, cork loop 510 may includegasket 535 which may be compressible to allow for larger cork sizes,while still accommodating smaller cork sizes. Gasket 535 may be composedof any flexible material such as, without limitation, rubber, Silicone,EPDM, Butyl, Viton, natural Rubber, Buna, Kalrez, Neoprene, NitrilRubber, Timprene, Synthetic Rubber, Foam and Sponge rubber,Thermoplastic Elastomers, Manniglas, etc. Similarly, a gasket may beincorporated within bottle loop 505 for additional grip and support ofthe neck of the wine bottle. Various dimensions may be used for secondspring-clip cork holder, depending on the needs of the user. Assuming anaverage bottle diameter of 28.5 mm and an average cork diameter of 23.3mm, in the present embodiment, the inner diameter and outer diameter ofbottle loop 505 may be 28.5 mm and 34.5 mm, respectively. Similarly, theouter diameter of cork loop 510 may be 27.3 mm, the inner diameter maybe 21.3 mm, and the inner diameter of gasket 535 may be 19.3 mm. As willbe appreciated by one skilled in the art, different dimensions forsecond spring-clip cork holder 500 may be used for differentapplications and sizes of wine bottles, and the aforementioneddimensions are not limiting.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary soft spring-clip cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Soft spring-clipcork holder 600 may be similar in design to second spring-clip corkholder 500 as described with reference to FIG. 5. Soft spring-clipholder 600 may comprise bottle loop 605 and cork loop 610. Bottle loop605 may be firmly secured to the neck of wine bottle 615, while corkloop 610 may firmly grasp cork 620. In contrast to second spring-clipcork holder 500, soft spring-clip cork holder may be composed of asofter material for a better-quality feel. For example, withoutlimitation, silicone, rubber Silicone, EPDM, Butyl, Viton, naturalRubber, Buna, Kalrez, Neoprene, Nitril Rubber, Timprene, SyntheticRubber, Foam and Sponge rubber, Thermoplastic Elastomers, Manniglas,etc. may be used for the entirety of soft spring-clip cork holder 600.Alternatively, soft spring-clip cork holder 600 may utilize a sturdyinner material such as, without limitation, plastic, metal, etc. andhave an outer coating of the softer material to provide for additionalstructure while maintaining a higher quality outer finish.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary over-molded cork holder, in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention. Over-molded cork holder 700may incorporate various of the aforementioned designs, as well as thedesigns described below. Over-molded cork holder 700 may be composed ofover-molded plastic 705 formed using an over molding process. As usedherein, over molding may be a multi-shot injection molding process thatmay produce a single product from two or more different thermoplastics.The first shot may be the substrate, which may be the more rigid of thematerials being used and may be used to accept any subsequent shots(i.e., over molds). A variety of different plastics may be used for theover molds, and the over mold plastics may be softer and more flexiblethan the substrate. The over mold material may be mixed with add-onssuch as, without limitation, colorants, foaming agents, etc. to achievea desired effect within the final product. Over molding may enable theunification of the substrate material with the over mold material in asmaller amount of time than it would take to join two or more partstogether using conventional methods. After the substrate is injected,the substrate may be placed into an over mold tool or cavity and moltenoverload material may be injected onto or around the substrate. Afterthe over mold material cools, the substrate and over mold may bechemically and/or mechanically bonded. Over molding may be advantageousin creating strong, multi-material parts rather than using an adhesiveto bind separate parts together.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary first silicone cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First siliconecork holder 800 may use silicone as a flexible, durable material fordisplaying cork 820 on the neck of wine bottle 815. First silicone corkholder 800 may comprise bottle loop section 805 and cork loop section810, wherein bottle loop 805 may slip over and be tightly secured to theneck of wine bottle 815, cork 815 may be slipped into cork loop 810 andfirmly held in a vertical orientation. Connector 835 couples bottle loopsection 1005 and cork loop section 1010 to form a single unit corkholder and bottle coupler allow for an elegant display of the cork andproper inspection the cork's condition during wine consumption andwithout moving parts, detachable parts, or other affixing hardwarerequired for the device to work properly. Bottle loop 805 and cork loop810 may include bottle loop tab 825 and cork loop tab 830 for additionalgrip while adjusting silicone cork holder 800. For example, withoutlimitation, bottle loop tab 825 and cork loop tab 830 may be pulled inan outward direction to expand the inner diameter of bottle loop 805 andcork loop 810, respectively, allowing for ease of installation orremoval. Additionally, the silicone of first silicone cork holder 800may be dyed a variety of different colors and patterns to increase theaesthetic appearance of first silicone cork holder 800. Silicone, EPDM,Butyl, Viton, natural Rubber, Buna, Kalrez, Neoprene, Nitril Rubber,Timprene, Synthetic Rubber, Foam and Sponge rubber, ThermoplasticElastomers, Manniglas, etc. . . . . The elastomers above may bereinforced using reinforcing fillers, or the elastomers could bechemically bonded to a metal.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary second silicone cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Second siliconecork holder 900 may alleviate horizontal stretching in comparison tofirst silicone cork holder 800 as described with reference to FIG. 8.Second silicone cork holder 900 may comprise bottle loop 905 and corkloop 910, wherein bottle loop 905 may be securely attached to the neckof wine bottle 915 and cork loop 910 may firmly grasp cork 920. Bottleloop 905 may include first bottle opening 925 and second bottle opening930. First bottle opening 925 and second bottle opening 930 may slideover the neck of wine bottle 915 and, because second silicone corkholder 900 may be composed of silicone, the elasticity of the siliconemay provide for a secure grip onto the neck of wine bottle 915.Similarly, Cork holder 900 may include first cork opening 935 and anoptional second cork opening 940. The design of second silicone corkholder 900 may allow for vertical pressure to be applied in theinstallation and removal processes, which may prolong the longevity ofsecond silicone cork holder 900 when compared to first silicone corkholder 800. However, second silicone cork holder 900 may not provide assecure a hold as first silicone cork holder 800, as less contact may bemade between second silicone cork holder 900 and each of wine bottle 915and cork 920. The elastomers above could be reinforced using reinforcingfillers, or the elastomers could be chemically bonded to a metal.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary first molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First moldedplastic cork holder 1000 may be secured to the neck of wine bottle 1015by slipping bottle loop section 1005 over the neck of wine bottle 1015or horizontally through flared bottle opening 1025 where the neck ofwine bottle 1015 rests on the pair of bottle loop arm 1045. Similarly,cork 1020 may be inserted into cork loop 1010 or snapped in throughflared cork opening 1030 where the cork 1020 rests on the pair of corkloop arm 1040. Connector 1035 couples bottle loop section 1005 and corkloop section 1010 via outer surfaces of bottle loop arm 1045 and corkloop arm 1040 to form a single unit cork holder and bottle coupler withno moving parts, detachable parts, or other affixing hardware requiredfor the device to work properly. First molded plastic cork holder 1000may be fabricated using injection molding, creating a firm and slightlyflexible design that may accommodate for different sized wine bottlesand corks. As injection molding may be used, first molded plastic corkholder 1000 may be of a constant thickness to allow for consistency infabrication. Additional material may also be applied to the innerdiameter of one or more of bottle loop 1005 and cork loop 1010 toprovide support for smaller corks or wine bottles and/or provide extragrip for a more secure fit. The additional material may be, for example,without limitation, rubber, silicone, etc. including materials havingexcellent elastic properties such as ABS or Acetal.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary second molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Second moldedplastic cork holder 1100 may be similar in design to first moldedplastic cork holder 1000 as described in FIG. 10. In comparison to firstmolded plastic cork holder 1000, second molded plastic cork holder 1100may include one or more support ribs 1115 and connector 1120 betweenbottle loop 1105 and cork loop 1110 where the neck of wine bottle restson the pair of bottle loop arm 1135 and the cork rests on the pair ofcork loop arm 1130. Support ribs 1115 may add additional structuralintegrity to second molded plastic cork holder 1100 and hold the cork ina more rigid position relative to the wine bottle. As such, wheninverting the wine bottle, the cork may be firmly held in place withvery little variation in position.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary extrusion molding cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Extrusionmolding cork holder 1200 may adopt similar designs to those describedwith reference to FIGS. 1-11 and FIGS. 13-14, albeit using extrusionmolding. Extrusion molding may be advantageous in that large volumes ofextrusion molding cork holders 1200 may be manufactured at a lower costwhen compared to more conventional approaches. Additionally, when usinghot extrusion, post execution alterations may be possible whileextrusion molding cork holders 1200 are still in a heated condition.With high production volumes, extrusion molding may offer continuousoperation, and various types of raw materials may be utilized, such as,without limitation, plastics, thermoplastics, Polyvinyl Chloride,Polycarbon, polyurethane, etc. Elastomers—Silicone, EPDM, Butyl, Viton,natural Rubber, Buna, Kalrez, Neoprene, Nitril Rubber, Timprene,Synthetic Rubber, Foam and Sponge rubber, Thermoplastic Elastomers, etc.Metals—aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, nickel, etc.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary third molded plastic cork holder, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Third moldedplastic cork holder 1300 may make a more secure fit with wine bottle1315 using increased contact when compared with the designs shown inFIG. 10 and FIG. 11. Bottle loop section 1305 may include a singlebottle loop arm 1335 which may have increased surface area to makeadditional contact with wine bottle 1315, creating more stability wheninstalled. Additionally, cork loop 1310 may be secured to bottle loop1305 using fixed arms 1325. Fixed arms 1325 on either side of cork loop1310 may provide two fixed location points 1330 rather than one,allowing cork loop 1310 to be more flexible when opening and closing. Assuch, a wider variety of cork sizes may be accommodated for whencompared to the aforementioned designs as described in FIG. 10 and FIG.11. Third molded plastic cork holder 1300 may be manufactured as asingle-piece or multiple pieces subsequently adhered together.

FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate an exemplary spider cork holder, wherein FIG.14A illustrates a perspective view of a spider cork holder, FIG. 14Billustrates a side view of a spider cork holder, and FIG. 14Cillustrates a top view of a spider cork holder, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, spidercork holder 1400 may be formed as a single piece using injection moldingto provide for optimal durability and flexibility. However, as will beappreciated by ones skilled in the art, alternative fabricationtechniques, such as, but not limited to, 3D printing, etc. may be usedto manufacture spider cork holder 1400. Spider cork holder 1400 maycomprise bottle loop section 1405 for secure fitment onto for example,without limitation, the neck of a wine bottle, and cork loop section1410 for securement of, for example, without limitation, a cork. Toallow for additional flexibility of both bottle loop section 1405 andcork loop section 1410 while still maintaining structural integrity,intermediate support 1415 may be used as a supporting structure betweenthe two loops. Bottle loop 1405 may include a pair of bottle loop arms1420 coupled to a middle portion of intermediate support 1415. Cork loop1410 may include a pair of cork loop arms 1425 coupled to an outerportion of intermediate support 1415. Intermediate support 1415 may forman arc to conform to a shape of a cork. Because cork loop section 1410may be decoupled from bottle loop section 1405 in this way, a widervariety of wine bottle sizes and cork sizes may be accommodated for.However, in comparison to cork holder 100 of FIG. 1, cork loop section1410 may be more closed off such that the cork may be inserted fromeither the top or bottom of cork loop section 1410 and may not supportside insertion of a cork.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the aforementioneddesigns for cork holders may not be limited to being used with winebottles, and may be adapted to being utilized to, for example, withoutlimitation, secure a bottle cap to a bottle, Champaign bottles, water,or beverage bottles with caps where you don't want to lose the cap, etc.Additionally, elements of each of the aforementioned designs may becombined and usable together. For example, without limitation, theliving spring design of FIG. 1 may be combined with the spring clipdesign of FIG. 4. As such, various different design possibilities may beconsidered within the scope of the present invention.

All the features disclosed in this specification, including anyaccompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternativefeatures serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unlessexpressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise,each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series ofequivalent or similar features.

It is noted that according to USA law 35 USC § 112 (1), all claims mustbe supported by sufficient disclosure in the present patentspecification, and any material known to those skilled in the art neednot be explicitly disclosed. However, 35 USC § 112 (6) requires thatstructures corresponding to functional limitations interpreted under 35USC § 112 (6) must be explicitly disclosed in the patent specification.Moreover, the USPTO's Examination policy of initially treating andsearching prior art under the broadest interpretation of a “mean for” or“steps for” claim limitation implies that the broadest initial search on35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA 112(f)) functional limitation would have to beconducted to support a legally valid Examination on that USPTO policyfor broadest interpretation of “mean for” claims. Accordingly, the USPTOwill have discovered a multiplicity of prior art documents includingdisclosure of specific structures and elements which are suitable to actas corresponding structures to satisfy all functional limitations in thebelow claims that are interpreted under 35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA112(f)) when such corresponding structures are not explicitly disclosedin the foregoing patent specification. Therefore, for any inventionelement(s)/structure(s) corresponding to functional claim limitation(s),in the below claims interpreted under 35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA 112(f)),which is/are not explicitly disclosed in the foregoing patentspecification, yet do exist in the patent and/or non-patent documentsfound during the course of USPTO searching, Applicant(s) incorporate allsuch functionally corresponding structures and related enabling materialherein by reference for the purpose of providing explicit structuresthat implement the functional means claimed. Applicant(s) request(s)that fact finders during any claims construction proceedings and/orexamination of patent allowability properly identify and incorporateonly the portions of each of these documents discovered during thebroadest interpretation search of 35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA 112(f))limitation, which exist in at least one of the patents and/or non-patentdocuments found during the course of normal USPTO searching and orsupplied to the USPTO during prosecution. Applicant(s) also incorporateby reference the bibliographic citation information to identify all suchdocuments comprising functionally corresponding structures and relatedenabling material as listed in any PTO Form-892 or likewise anyinformation disclosure statements (IDS) entered into the present patentapplication by the USPTO or Applicant(s) or any 3^(rd) parties.Applicant(s) also reserve its right to later amend the presentapplication to explicitly include citations to such documents and/orexplicitly include the functionally corresponding structures which wereincorporate by reference above.

Thus, for any invention element(s)/structure(s) corresponding tofunctional claim limitation(s), in the below claims, that areinterpreted under 35 USC § 112(6) (post AIA 112(f)), which is/are notexplicitly disclosed in the foregoing patent specification, Applicant(s)have explicitly prescribed which documents and material to include theotherwise missing disclosure, and have prescribed exactly which portionsof such patent and/or non-patent documents should be incorporated bysuch reference for the purpose of satisfying the disclosure requirementsof 35 USC § 112 (6). Applicant(s) note that all the identified documentsabove which are incorporated by reference to satisfy 35 USC § 112 (6)necessarily have a filing and/or publication date prior to that of theinstant application, and thus are valid prior documents to incorporatedby reference in the instant application.

Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention,other equivalent or alternative methods of implementing a cork holderaccording to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art. Various aspects of the invention have been described above byway of illustration, and the specific embodiments disclosed are notintended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. Theparticular implementation of the cork holder may vary depending upon theparticular context or application. By way of example, and notlimitation, the cork holder described in the foregoing were principallydirected to cork storage and display implementations; however, similartechniques may instead be applied to bottle cap storage and displaywhich implementations of the present invention are contemplated aswithin the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the following claims. It is to be furtherunderstood that not all of the disclosed embodiments in the foregoingspecification will necessarily satisfy or achieve each of the objects,advantages, or improvements described in the foregoing specification.

Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or letteredsolely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numberingand lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken toindicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. Section 1.72(b)requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the natureand gist of the technical disclosure. That is, the Abstract is providedmerely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify any key oressential features of the claimed subject matter. It is submitted withthe understanding that it will not be used to limit or interpret thescope or meaning of the claims.

The following claims are hereby incorporated into the detaileddescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

Only those claims which employ the words “means for” or “steps for” areto be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph (pre-AIA) or 35 USC112(f) post-AIA. Otherwise, no limitations from the specification are tobe read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly includedin the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device comprising: a wide end or bottle loopsection, wherein said bottle loop section is configured to couple to abottle neck, in which said bottle loop section comprises; a first bottleloop arm; a second bottle loop arm; wherein said first bottle loop armand said second bottle loop arm forms a proximate C-shaped bottle loopsection; and wherein a diameter of said proximate C-shaped bottle loopsection formed by said first bottle loop arm and second bottle loop armis configured to commensurate a diameter of the bottle neck; a narrowend or cork loop section, wherein said cork loop section is configuredto hold a cork, in which said cork loop section comprises; a first corkloop arm; a second cork loop arm; wherein said first cork loop arm andsecond cork loop arm forms a proximate C-shaped narrow end or cork loopsection; and wherein a diameter of said proximate C-shaped formed bysaid first cork loop arm and second cork loop arm is configured tocommensurate a diameter of the cork; and wherein said bottle loopsection and cork loop section are into engagement to form a single unitcork holder and bottle coupler.
 2. The device of claim 1, in which saidengagement comprises a bridge, wherein said bridge is configured toengage said first bottle loop arm and said second bottle loop arm toform a generally C-shaped wide end.
 3. The device of claim 2, furthercomprising a notification surface that is configured to allow forprinting or engraving of, at least one of, an image, a lettering, anadvertisement, and graphics.
 4. The device of claim 3, furthercomprising an anti-slip material disposed on an inner portion of saidfirst and second bottle loop arms, wherein said anti-slip material isconfigured to provide additional grip or protection, in which saidanti-slip material comprises at least one of a rubber composition and avinyl composition.
 5. The device of claim 1, further comprising anintermediate support, wherein said intermediate support engages saidbottle loop section and cork loop section.
 6. The device of claim 5,wherein said first and second bottle loop arms are coupled to a middleportion of said intermediate support.
 7. The device of claim 6, whereinsaid first and second cork loop arms are coupled to an outer portion ofsaid intermediate support, and wherein said device do not contain movingparts, detachable parts, or other affixing hardware required for thedevice to work properly.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein said firstand second bottle loop arms comprises flared openings, and wherein saidfirst and second bottle loop arms are configured to allow for inward oroutward deflection.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said first andsecond cork loop arms comprises flared openings, and wherein said firstand second cork loop arms are configured to allow for inward or outwarddeflection.
 10. The device of claim 1, in which said engagementcomprises a connector that is configured to couple said bottle loopsection and said cork loop section to form a single unit cork holder andbottle coupler.
 11. The device of claim 10, in which said connectorcomprises two end portions, wherein one end portion is configured tocouple an outside surface of said bottle loop section and the other endportion is configured to couple an outside surface of said cork loopsection.
 12. The device of claim 11, further comprising at least one ormore support ribs, wherein said one or more support ribs are configuredto provide additional structural integrity to said device, and whereinsaid device may not contain moving parts, detachable parts, or otheraffixing hardware required for the device to work properly.
 13. A devicecomprising: means for coupling a bottle neck; means for forming saidbottle neck coupling means; means for holding a cork; means for formingsaid cork holding means; means for engaging said bottle neck couplingmeans and said cork holding means to form a single unit cork holder andbottle coupler; means for allowing for printing or engraving of, atleast one of, an image, a lettering, an advertisement, and graphics;means for providing anti-slip grip or protection for said bottle holdingmeans; and means for providing anti-slip grip or protection for saidcork holding means.
 14. A device comprising: a bottle loop section,wherein said bottle loop section is configured to couple to a bottleneck, in which said bottle loop section comprises; a bottle loop arm;wherein said bottle loop arm forms a proximate C-shaped bottle loopsection; and wherein a diameter of said proximate C-shaped bottle loopsection formed by said bottle loop arm is configured to commensurate adiameter of the bottle neck; a cork loop section, wherein said cork loopsection is configured to hold a cork, in which said cork loop sectioncomprises; a cork loop arm; wherein said cork loop arm forms a proximateC-shaped cork loop section; and wherein a diameter of said proximateC-shaped narrow end formed by said cork loop arm is configured tocommensurate a diameter of the cork; and wherein said bottle loopsection and cork loop section are into engagement to form a single unitcork holder and bottle coupler.
 15. The device of claim 14, in whichsaid bottle loop arm comprises a first bottle loop arm and a secondbottle loop arm.
 16. The device of claim 15, in which said cork loop armcomprises a first cork loop arm and a second cork loop arm.
 17. Thedevice of claim 14, in which said engagement comprises at least twofixed arms, each of said two fixed arms is configured to couple saidbottle loop section and said cork loop section to form a single unitcork holder and bottle coupler, wherein said single unit cork holder andbottle coupler is operable for an elegant display and inspection of thecork's condition during a wine consumption, and wherein said two fixedarms are configured to couple to at least two fixed location points onan outside surface of said bottle loop section and on an outside surfaceof said cork loop section.
 18. The device of claim 14, in which saidengagement comprises a bridge, wherein said bridge is configured tocouple said bottle loop section and said cork loop section to form asingle unit cork holder and bottle coupler, wherein said single unitcork holder and bottle coupler is operable for display of the cork and aproper inspection of the cork's condition during a wine consumption. 19.The device of claim 14, in which said engagement comprises a connectorthat is configured to couple said bottle loop section and said cork loopsection to form a single unit cork holder and bottle coupler.
 20. Thedevice of claim 19, in which said bottle loop section comprises a bottleloop section tab and said cork loop section comprises a cork loopsection tab for additional grip while making adjustments.